Machine adapted to washing and scouring knit and other goods



(No Model.)

- H. W. SCOTT. I MACHINE ADAPTED T0 WASHING AND SGOURING KNIT AND OTHERGOODS.

Patented Sept. -16, 1884.

FIG--3- FIG. a.

INVENTOR:

WITNESSES N. PETERS. Pnmmmm m Waahmgtan. n. c.

NITED STATES g PATENT .OFFICE.

HENRY XV. SCOTT, OF BENNINGTON, VERMONT.

MACHINE ADAPTED TO WASHING AND SQOURING KNIT AND OTHER GOODS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 305,245, datedSeptember 16, 1884.

Application filed December 13, 1883. (X model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be itknown that I, HENRY W. SCOTT, of Bennington, in the county ofBennington and State of Vermont, have invented certain Improvements inMachines Adapted to WVashing and Securing. Knit and other Goods, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingsingle sheet of drawings, constitutes aspecification.

The mattersof invention constituting the subject-matter of this patentrelate to details in the construction and method of operating mills forwashing or fulling knit goods, cloths, and articles requiring likemanipular 5 tion, for the purposes of cleansing them and bringing theminto proper condition for the subsequent finishing processes.

The invention isfully illustrated in the drawings, wherein Figure 1 ismainly a side elevation of my machine, but showing the tub and one ofthe heaters in transverse section taken on line 1 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 2shows a side View of one;half of the tub, exhibiting connection for thepipe which supplies the tub with water, and also the sluice-gate atthebottom of the tub. Fig. 3 is an end elevation, mainly, of the mill,.butalso showing the tub alone in vertical transverse section taken on line3 4 of Fig. 1. Figs. 4. and 5 are respectively top and face views of thedevice for adjusting the vertical position of the heaters. Fig. 6 is aninverted view of the bottom of one of the heaters. Fig." 7 is a detailshowing a water-gap or sluiceway at or beneath the hot- 3 5 tom end ofthe beater-arm.

Certain imperfections both in the construction of mills forscouring andwashing hosierygoods after they are made up, and in the operation of thesame, have heretofore existed.

0 Some mills in their operation will impact the garments submitted totheir action so that they will work them up into a nearlysolid wad orroll, the sleeves and legs of drawers being almost inextricably snarledand knotted together, in which condition many of them become damaged bythe action of the mill. In other cases the mills are so constructed thatthe goods are caught under the toe of the beater, between that and thebed, and

are there torn or out. In other tubs, in

which the curved form of the interior against or upon which the goodsare rolled is cut out i of solid timber, the end of the grain of thewood is left so exposed to the action or rubbing thrust of the goodsunder the impact of the heater that it becomes raised, roughened, andupset, so that the goods become seriously worn in the process ofscouring and washing. In other mills the goods get caught between theheaters, or between the heater and the side of the tub, and in suchcases they get torn or out. Other mills are constructed by using nailsor exposing iron fittings, where the action of the soaps, alkalies,acids, or water thereon results in staining the goods with iron rust,oil used for lubrication, verdigris, (where copper or brass isemployed,) and in other Ways.

To obviate these objections the present mill is devised. Bunching' andknotting of the goods is avoided by the'relative shapes of the heatersand ends of the tub in which they work. Goods are prevented fromcatching between the toe of the heater and bed or bottom of the tub byclose adjustment of the bottom of the heater to the bottom of the tub.Roughening of the wood surfaces upon which the goods roll or are shovedalong ahead of the heater is prevented by constructing those pertions ofthe bottom or bed with the grain of So the wood set 011 end, so as to beinclined away from the advancing movement of the beater as it worksagainst the goods. This arrange ment of the grain of the wood for thepurpose stated is of great importance and effects a very materialimprovement in the action of the mill. The goods are prevented frombeing caught between the heaters, or between the heaters and sides ofthe tub, by building the heaters so that they will entirely fill out theinner breadth of the tub, leaving barely room for free action, andhanging them on long sleeve-bearings, which prevent lateral swing ordisplacement. All parts of the tub exposed to the goods or to theliquors in which they 5 are undergoing treatment are made wholly ofwood, so as to avoid stains or spots of all kinds.

My tub, as shown in Fig. 1, is constructed of heavy plank sides B and aplank bottom, I00 II. The ends 0 O are of heavy plank or timber set atan incline, so that the top ends overhang inwardly. The grain of theendplank, O 0, runs parallel withthe plank, or at least in a directionso that where it is cut oil in the formation of the lower part of thecurve, as at g 9, its end shall not be presented toward the beater, soas to wear up rough. The ends are worked out in the concave form shownat b g b g, the shape being such as will facilitate the rise of thegoods in front of the beater without being impacted materially, and thencause the top of the rolling mass to topple over backward in front ofthe beater as the same recedes for a new thrust or stroke. Through theupper and overhanging part of the ends ofthe tub a water-weir isprovided, G G, which opens out at G, Fig. 2, so as to make connectionwith any convenient supply-pipe. This weir G is perforated with a rangeof small holes, I) I), through which fine jets of water are thrown downupon the goods in the direction of the toe of the beater.

I construct that portion of the bed of the tub lying immediately beneaththe toe of the beater, and in conjunction with which the beater U works,of wood, with the grain thereof inclined away from the advancing toe ofthe beater, as shown at D D, Fig. l. The tops of blocks D D are finishedon the arc of a circle having the pivothearing of the heater-arm O for acenter. The under sides of the toepieces S S of the heaters are alsoworked on a like curve, to adapt them to the curve of the bed. Blocks DD are held in place by cleats E E, fastened to bottom of the tub.

On either or both sides of the tub, beneath the heaters, thesluice-gates U are fitted to close the aperture F. (Shown in Fig. 1.)These gates have thepads made of wood fitted to slide in appropriateways, V, and are fitted so as not to leak. The heaters are hung so thatan ample water-way, d, is left under the hammers and over the bottom ofthe tub.

The heaters consist of two cheek-pieces, l? P, Figs. 6 and 7, the upperedges of which are cut away or stepped, as seen at a a a, Fig. 1.Athwart these steps are laid and fastened the beater-bars 1% R R. Thesebars are slightly less in thickness than the height of the steps, thusleaving an open space or interval between them, (seen clearly in Fig.3,) which permits the free passage of water through between them. Thebottom or toe piece, is made broader than the other bars, and has itsfront or leading edge beveled or rounded over into a shape to readilyslide under the goods and exert a lifting as well as a crowding orshoving force. The trailing edge is beveled down thin, as at c 0, so asto cut its way through the water with least resistance 011 theback-stroke of the heater. The lowest of the series ofsteps orbeater-bars R It are perforated, as at are (6, Figs. 1 and 3, for thepurpose of facilitating the escape of the water from the goods as theyare compressed by the beater in its forward stroke. Holes a a also forma valuable adjunct in working up a soap-suds preparatory to scouring abatch of goods.

Blocks or furring-pieccs Q Q,Fig.7, are inter posed between checks 1 l?and arm J, and the whole is firmly pinned together. The bottom end ofarm J and furrings Q Q are cut away, substantially as shown in Fig. 7,so as to leave an open throatway or channel for the swash of the wateror suds as the beater sways to and fro in the tub. As tubs and heatershave formerly been made, the beater has usually been a solid head orblock, and when fitted to run closely in the tub moved substantially thewhole volume of water and goods back and forth as it vibrated, whichinvolved an excessive and needless outlay of power.

For the purpose of hanging the heaters, two posts, A A, connected withthe sides of the tub and extending up, so as to take onto some stableportion of the building, are provided. Upon each post is attached acasting; \V, or equivalent device, carrying a vertically adjustablepivot-box, Y Y. This box is provided with flanges, which slide invertical ways in plate NV. The pivot-bar O has each of its ends fastenedinto one of the boxes Y, so that when the parts are all in position theposts A. A cannot spread apart. Flanged sleeves N N are bolted toopposite sides of arm J, as shown in Fig. 3, through the bore of whichand through arms J J the bar 0 passes. Sleeves N N N N are of a lengththat, with the thickness of the arms to which they are attached, theyjust fill the interval between the shoulders of pivot-bearings Y Y,thereby providing against lateral play.

The pivot-bearings may be vertically adjusted by means of the adjusting-screws X X X X, thus enabling the heaters to be set as close tothe bed of the tub as it may be found practical to work them.

The heaters are driven by crank and pitman connections at the top of thearms J J, as seen at K L 1, Figs. 1 and 3.

It has been found that the mill works easier to arrange the cranksopposite each other rather than at an angle. I have shown the shaft onwhich driving-pulley L is mounted double-cranked for the purpose abovestated. Advantages are secured by placing the driving-gear overhead, asshown, rather than connecting with the beater-arm near the hammer, inthat the use of the long arm renders the apparatus more elastic andremoves the pitmen or connecting-rods out of the way in filling oremptying the mill, and also avoids the opportunity for pieces of thegoods to he caught and damaged or destroyed in those parts of themachine.

1. In mills of the character described, a tub 2; A beaterh cad or hammerfor mills of the character described, substantially hollow, so as toadmit of a circulation of water through it, having its working-face madeup of a series of separate transverse bars, with intervals between them,arranged step fashion, substantially as shown and described.

3. In mills for washing goods of the kind described, a hollowbeater-head or hammer, in which the handle or arm thereofiupon whichsaid hammer is hung, is stopped off above the plane of the bottom ofsaid hammer, as a means for the free transit of water through beneath Ithe hammer,substantially as described,and for the purposes specified.

4. As an improvement in the beating-face of the hammers of mills of thecharacter specified, a series .of transverse beating-bars arranged stepfashion, with intervals between them, of which those of the series nextabove the toe-piece are perforated,in the manner described, and for thepurposes set forth.

5. As an improvement in the toepieee of a hollow beater-head or hammer,a thin trailing edge, in combination with openings above said toe piecefor the passage of water,substantial.ly as described and set forth.

6. As a means for preventing lateral vibration of the beater-heads andof securing vertical adjustment of the same in mills of the kinddescribed, the combination of a pivotbar mounted at each end invertically-adjustable'fittings, in combination with sleeve-bearingsattached to the arms of the heaters, of sufficient length to preventlateral oscillation of said beater-heads within the tub, and meansconnected with said rod for preventing longitudinal slip of saidsleeve-bearings along said pivot-bar, substantially as described and setforth.

7. A beater-head or hammer having a long upwardly-extending armconnected at its top with a motor for actuating the same, and pivoted atsome point between the hammer and the driving-connection upon avertically-adjustable pivot-bar, substantially in the manner described,and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a mill of the character described, the combination of meanslocated above the toe of the hammer for throwing a jet of waterdownwardly into the tub, wit-h the described transverse openings betweenthe beater-bars for the passage of the water from the goods, or thespace occupied by the goods, through the hammer to the water -wayunderneath the same, substantially as described and set forth.

9. A mill of the character described, consisting of a tub with twomillin gcompartments, between which one or more hollow beaters orhammers are arranged to oscillate, said hammer-s being constructed withperforated milling-faces and open communication from onemilling-eompartment through said perforated faces to the oppositecompartment, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereto affixed my name, at Bennington,Vermont, this 27th day of November, A. D. 1883.

HENRY XV. SCOTT.

In presence of FRANKLIN Scorr, WILms H. PnILLirs.

